His Hound
by Warwick89
Summary: Be careful what you bargain for.
1. Desperado

**I'm rather disappointed in the lack of Clavicus Vile fanfics, so I figured I would fill in the gap myself. When I did Vile's quest in Oblivion, I was curious and started playing with my character in my head a little too much. This is the result. First off, I'll point out a few things so no one is lost or confused.  
**

***This is a oneshot, though if there is a decent response to it, it might continue.  
*The character is a male Bosmer  
*At the end, he is NOT a werewolf.  
*Explores how Barbas might have become Vile's servant.**

Now, on to the show! Read and Review!  
*******

Many people who have any sense of self preservation usually stick to worshipping the Nine Divines. Unless you happen to be a Bosmer with a sense of curiosity doused with a whopping dollop of stupidity. My father often told me that there was nothing more dangerous than a resourceful idiot. In my case, he couldn't have been more correct.

I'm not sure why or how I was drawn into Daedric worship, but I'm pretty sure it started with a book called Azura and the Box, or one of the tales about Sheogorath, the Mad One. I am also a self-taught artist with a tendency to behave like a drunken goblin with a jigsaw puzzle. Fun to watch, but only if you're behind a protective barrier of some sort.  
During the day, I spend my time at the Arcane University illustrating their many texts. I think my crowning achievement was my rendering of Clavicus Vile, the very project that nearly destroyed my career. Apparently Archmage Traven thought my artwork was amazingly life-like for someone who had never seen him. Upon later reflection, I wondered how he could possibly know what Clavicus looked like if he didn't participate in Daedra worship either.

Many of my "friends" thought that I was a loner by choice. In a way they are right, but I think society has some sort of sanity meter that steers them away from devious folk like me. Even my fellow Bosmer consider me to be a little nuts, so that should tell you something. Mostly, I think it's just that I don't fit society's role that Bosmer are supposed to fit. I'm not a thief, farmer, hunter, or a motor-mouth.

I am a terrible liar, but I'm sure you already knew that. Most Bosmer are, unless you happen to be a politician. For some reason politicians of all races seem to possess a lying tongue that could deceive Boethiah itself . That is something that has always fascinated me.

But back to my story.

I was in a rather desperate situation. I had borrowed a large amount of money from one of the many loan sharks on the Waterfront in the Imperial City. For some reason they didn't understand that I needed a little extra time to collect the funds to pay them. I don't see how a year was such a long time to pay someone back. Word from the beggars warned me that Eli the Nasty was coming to break my neck since he broke my fingers last time.

See what I mean? I depend on my hands to earn my money, and I wasn't able to do anything in the time he gave me. I tried to call in favors, but strangely, no one answered my letters. I guess they were busy and haven't had the time to read them yet.

I did the only thing that I could do, and it happened to be the stupidest decision I made in my life. Come to think of it, it _did_ cost me my life. I rapidly flipped through mountains of my hastily scrawled notes from the Daedric texts I often had to illustrate. A quick mental run through of all the items in my house told me that I had the items required to summon Clavicus Vile or Hircine. Vile's shrine was closer, and he might view my situation a bit more favorably than the Lord of the Hunt.

So I threw the last dregs of my Septims into a bag, a measly five-hundred Septims, and slipped out of my home, my boots set directly for Clavicus Vile's shrine. The low murmur of the City at night was a comfortable sound, something familiar to calm me as I headed to try to cheat my way out of death.

Fear seemed to keep my feet going long after my normal endurance should have given way to the steep, winding paths. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that I could see the white stone of the Shrine in the distance. I can't count the brambles, fallen logs, and sink holes that I stumbled over during the night.

I must have made quite a sight when I stepped into the clearing, leaves and twigs tangled in my long copper hair. I could faintly hear the baying of the dogs Eli used and I knew that I was going to be shaving this close.

I shoved my bag of Septims at the altar's base and prayed like I never had done before, even harder than when I begged Akatosh to spare my wife's life as she bled out from a stab wound on the High Road. I think my panic caused me to grovel for quite a while before I became aware of someone's, or something's, amusement.

It is hard to describe speaking to something that you can't see, and yet you can feel it with every one of your other senses. I could feel his moods, how they shifted from slightly bored to sharp interest, to a vague irritation. I could smell the brimstone on Vile's breath, as well as the iron, old meat smell of Barbas. The dog's coarse fur felt like the stiff hair one would feel on a dead animal, and something that felt like expensive silk touched my forehead. Barbas' heavy panting almost hid Clavicus' light laughter. It reminded me of wind-chimes that had the blades of keen daggers.

_"Why do you summon me, Mortal?"_ He whispered into my ear, his voice almost child-like but with undercurrents of malice and evil intent. I believe I nearly jumped out of my skin as I knelt there in the dead grass.

"I-uh… Well…" I stuttered out, my vocal chords having seemed to have forgotten how to speak.

"_Spit it out!"  
_

"I need your help! Eli the Nasty is going to kill me if he finds me! His hounds will rip me to shreds!" I shrieked at him, spittle flying. I was ignoring the pompous stares of the other regular members of the Shrine. All I cared about was saving my own skin. I jerked when I felt Barbas jam his muzzle into my back, nearly knocking me facedown.

_"So you say. But why should I care what happens to one soul? After all, you seem to lack the funds to pay your debtors off. How could you possibly give me what I want? And how could I trust you to keep your end of the bargain?"  
_

I was at a loss as to how to persuade Clavicus to help me. I was never one who had the skill to persuade anyone to help me unless they were already interested. It was all I could do not to let despair dissolve me into a puddle of tears. His silence made it clear that he was waiting, his interest slowly rising as Eli's dogs closed the gap.  
I opened my mouth to admit defeat when an invisible hand forced it shut, almost causing me to bite the tip of my tongue. I could feel the roughness of his palm contrasting to the smoothness of his nails as the tips pressed into my cheeks.

"_I see you know when your 'goose is cooked,' as your father would have said."_ Clavicus said, his voice taking an irritating pitch. "_But you do show remarkable talent in other areas that might be of use to me. At least until insanity takes you and Sheogorath becomes your Prince." _I twitched again as he released my face and clapped, the force of which caused my hair to shift in its wind.

I felt a worm of doubt worry its way to the front of my mind, and I began to wonder if making a deal with Clavicus was such a great idea. Vile read my mind easily, and he gripped my shoulders, easily crushing them with an inhuman grip. My upper lip twitched as I gritted my teeth so hard I heard them squeak.

_"Oh no, my dear little Mortal. You summoned me, and I will have my bargain. Since you have no head for this, I will dictate the rules and you get to choose if you're going to die now or later."  
_My eyebrows rose in surprise. I was in way over my head, and Clavicus knew it. I couldn't back out now, not since I could hear Eli's curses echoing through the woods around me.

_"And now we come to it. I will spare you from Eli, but you will serve me for the rest of eternity in a form similar to Barbas. You will be my hound, unable to leave my realm. I will take your artistic talent, and your voice as payment." _Clavicus paused, and I could feel his eyes boring into my forehead. "_Do you accept?"  
_

My knees turned to water, and if I hadn't been kneeling, I would have fallen. My throat clogged for a moment, costing me precious seconds as I saw Eli two-hundred yards away. "I accept! Oh, gods, do I ever accept!"

_"Ah, your desperation is most touching," _Vile murmured, his hand moving to the top of my head. Excitement tinged his voice, making my worry escalate. "_But a deal is a deal. I claim that which is mine by pact."  
_

I felt a great tearing sensation in my mind, something that was once a great part of my personality being torn out like a jagged splinter. The loss of it caused me to howl in pain. For a few brief moments I saw the Madhouse of Sheogorath, and just as my fingertips brushed one of the fluorescent mushrooms, Clavicus ripped my voice away as well, leaving me to writhe in silence. But my new master wasn't finished, not by a long shot.

At first I thought the insanity was returning as everything around me seemed to grow, allowing me to escape into Sheogorath's domain, but the pain of my bones melting and forcibly reshaping themselves into a new form thrust me into a new horrible reality. The ripping of my clothing was loud in the silence that the shocked worshippers let reign. The colors of my vision faded into the subtle grays of colorblindness as I took the shape of a large dog like Barbas. I still couldn't bark or howl since Vile owned my voice as well.

For several long moments, my entire _being_ moaned in agony, what was left of my soul struggling to piece itself back together. The sense of claustrophobia wrapped my mind in its tight, unyielding grip. Losing my voice wouldn't have bothered me, but having my creative spirit taken was almost too much to bear. No longer could I see the beautiful patterns in nature, or wonder how to best render fur with oil paints. I couldn't fascinate myself with swirling colors or see imaginary shapes in the clouds.

I was…. Nothing. Despair sank in and I tried to howl, my muzzle and tongue forming the correct shapes, but my throat didn't vibrate with my emotion. It proved to be too much for my already strained psyche, and I felt my body barreling towards comfortable oblivion.

My sight blurred as I heard dogs howling in fear, and Eli's screaming drowned out by Barbas' deep, booming barks. The last thing I remember hearing was a child's high-pitched laugh of ecstasy, something that had no place among the sounds of ripping clothing, howls, and screams. I think I joined in as well, if only to stop the screaming from piercing my skull.

I'm not sure when I realized I was in Clavicus' realm, only that I was sprawled across a mountain of gold from various Eras. The cavernous room was dim, but at its door I could see the swirling mists of Vile's lands. Gold slid and rattled noisily as I stood my weight unsteady. My first few steps were more of controlled flops as I slid down the side and landed on the floor in a landslide of coins.

Hours must have passed as I struggled around the room, learned how to walk and to adjust to my new senses. Not once did I hear from Clavicus or Barbas, but I wasn't worried. I would wander to the doorway, but stop just short since there was nothing to step onto outside the door. At least I didn't have to worry about becoming lost.  
I let out a loud huff, snapping my teeth in agitation. I made a circle around the pile, listening to my claws click on the marble and wondering why Vile didn't just hire a dragon and be done with it.

_"Because my hoard would become the dragon's," _I jumped nearly a foot in the air, my jaws snapping wildly in an attempt to snag Clavicus. Evil laughter greeted my attempt at violence and I felt I light pat on my head. "_Good hound! I see you will make a much better guardian than the last mortal. He eventually became a gibbering mess. You have the mental fortitude to handle to solitude." _Vile patted my head a few more times once I stopped trying to eat his fingers. The hair along my spine remained raised, but my silent growls were ignored.  
I wasn't sure how I would communicate with him until I noticed Barbas was gone.

"_Barbas is currently in some mortal's pack. I wanted Umbra back_ _and he is helping her retrieve it for me." _Clavicus patted my head a little harder. "_And don't worry about not being able to talk. I can read your mind as easily as you used to read a book."  
_

I allowed a mental roll of my eyes as I stared off into eternity, barely able to make out the other islands in the swirling, glittering fog of the realm. I heard my master's boot heels clack against the marble as he stood beside me, his fine silks billowing in the turbulence. I was surprised to find that Vile wasn't a giant at all, but creature that looked like it could pass for a small child had it not been for the horns and pointed ears. I tolerated a few more pats, allowing his strange scent to wash over me.

"_See? Eternity isn't so bad. Once Umbra arrives, we will have ourselves a wonderful time. Just you wait and see my little hound,"__  
_


	2. Be Thou My Sword

**AN: **I know this was going to stay as a one-shot, but the kind reviews and Clavicus just kept inspiring me to write more. Besides, our OC kept complaining that I hadn't finished his story yet. I have a feeling this will have several twists and turns.  
**Disclaimer: **We all know that I don't own the Elder Scrolls, otherwise I'd be a very rich kiddo right about now.

To my kind reviewers, I thank you! Especially to LadySchadenfreude! I hope Clavicus is still portrayed correctly. There's a good bit of fun towards the end concerning him.

Without their advice, I probably wouldn't have had the courage to add to my ficlet. I hope you enjoy it! As always, please don't "read and run". Leave a review, however brief it may be. Your authors love them :)

On to the show!  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Time in Oblivion passes much more differently than in Mundus. Hours seem like days, days seem like years, and years seem like an eternity. Or maybe it was the other way around. I'm not sure anymore. My only relief is when I allow the small death of sleep to take me when I perch on top of Clavicus' horde.

Of course, there _is _one thing I'm sure of. Vile has exactly ninety-two thousand, nine-hundred and sixty-two cracks in the floor of his cave. That should give you an idea of the incredible stretches of boredom I face on a daily basis. I think I even tried to chase a small spider for three hours before I accidentally crushed it with my forepaw.

Every now and again, he graces me with his presence, something that I have come to look forward to regardless of the disgust I feel my soul quiver with. I often insult him, my silver eyes glaring at Vile's jovial face. There was something about my temper that intrigued him, offering him a small relief. I only tried snapping at his face once, a mistake I have never made since. The beating I received trumped anything I had known in my soft mortal life.

In fact, I still have the scars on my muzzle and bite marks on my right ear. Yes, you heard me correctly. All I will say is that Clavicus is not always the cheerful, conniving little man he portrays himself to be.

Today seemed to be different from the rest, more so because I could feel the sensation of someone watching me in my sleep. I opened my eyes and yawned, ignoring the tingling that made its way down my spine. I shook my heavy head, wishing I could snort as a large gold coin fell out of my ear. I didn't even bother wondering how it had gotten in there to begin with.  
I would have ignored Clavicus further had I not felt his boiling anger whip across my senses like a hot branding iron to the tip of my nose. I slowly made my way down my impromptu bed, cringing down until my belly brushed against the smooth floor. My furry ears went flat against my skull in supplication, tail creeping down as well. The pieces of my soul quavered in silent fury, my submission grating against everything I used to be.

I stopped in front of his polished black boot, able to see my blurred reflection in the silver buckle. I looked pathetic. My nose twitched as I smelled the familiar scent of brimstone, but it was mixed with the scent of old blood and rotted meat. Apparently Barbas has returned, but not with good news.

This did not bode well for anyone in the Realm. Vile's tantrums were legendary, capable of ripping the very fabric of his plane if he was angered well enough. And judging from his expression, he had just passed extremely irritated and entered a low boil.  
_  
"Stupid, stupid mortals!" _Clavicus shrieked, fists banging into his thighs like a spoiled three-year old. _"Always sneaking, always trying to worm their way out of deals! MY deals!" _  
His voice had reached such a pitch that it made my skull ache. And unless I missed my guess, I had about a minute to figure out what the problem was before he threw himself on the ground and screamed. I looked up at Vile, patiently exuding a sense of curiosity dashed with the desire to fix the situation.

He almost ignored me, but then he crouched down, his small hands wrapping tightly into the ruff of copper fur around my neck. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought he was going to strangle me. But I knew that Vile wouldn't kill any of his prizes.

"_Already trying to be helpful, my little hound?" _Clavicus growled into my face, his unearthly eyes boring straight into my soul. I almost jerked back as his fingers dug in tighter, but somehow I managed to keep still. His wrath was still there, swirling like lava building up steady pressure in a volcano. I thumped my tail twice in agreement.  
_  
"The impudent wretch has kept Umbra from me! Broke our deal, she did!" _He howled, his face strangely resembling a large tomato with horns. I blinked spittle from my eyes, patiently waiting for him to get a grip and continue.

Something cruel wormed its way through the maze of his skull, something that no mortal wanted to have directed at them. At the moment, I didn't want to be within a thousand leagues of the idiot that stole from a Daedric Prince.  
_  
"I want you to find the little _s'wit_. Find her and bring both her soul, and Umbra to me. Succeed, and you will take you place beside Barbas at my throne." _Clavicus' eyes narrowed, the black spreading until the entire orb no longer existed. I knew I wasn't going to like the last part. _"Fail me, and I will make sure you spend eternity feeding Dagon's Churls with your putrid flesh." _His hands reached up and produced a stiff leather collar from thin air, his small fingers easily fitting the buckle.

I shifted uneasily, a small rebellion against the leather that wrapped around my throat.

A stiff wind made me blink in an attempt to keep my eyes from drying out as Vile opened a portal to Cyrodiil. I could see trees swaying in the midst of a harsh thunder-storm, I took two steps forward then stopped, uncertain. I let out a pathetic wheeze as he planted his pointy shoe in my backside, the force of it flinging me forward and through the portal.

I landed in a heap of tangled limbs. I slowly regained my feet, realizing that I was back at the shrine to Clavicus. I sniffed at the ground, allowing the tangled scents and pheromones to sort themselves out. One in particular seemed off in my brain, one that didn't match the others. I looked up at my master's statue, waiting for something.  
_  
"UMBRA!"_ He crowed with such telepathic volume that I could have sworn my skull was going to explode. _"Follow it! Rain will not hide her scent from your nose!"  
_  
I wagged my tail once and began following the trail, remembering that this led to straight to the Inn of Ill Omen. Talk about ironic.


	3. Wanted

**AN: **Wow! Two chapters in one day! What is this world coming to? This probably will be the last time I upload two chapters in one day simply because while it's fun, it is also incredibly draining. Then again, Lord Vile has been after me with his point little shoes and digging them into rear. I think he wants to find out what happens to our beloved OC as much as I do.  
**Reviews: **  
Arty Thrip: I didn't forget about your guilds, mate. They will crop up in later chapters, and rest assured, Clavicus gave me this wonderful whip to beat off the Lucien fan girls. I hope this chapter excites as much as the other two have.  
Lady: Mr. Vile might be a little underplayed here, but I wanted to play heavily with the telepathic link the two have with each other. I'm also debating on a big surprise somewhere in chapter four or five.

As for everyone else, thank you so much for the reviews! This is a story that surprised me with how well it is doing. I will do my best as the author to keep ya'll interested and begging for more. :)  
XXXXXXXXXX

There are times when you would absolutely love a fur coat. Snow storms, charging through thorns or brambles, rolling in razors, to annoying your mother-in-law's sensitive allergies, the possibilities are limitless. Unfortunately, I found myself in a position that I passionately _hated _being covered in thick, wiry fur. I remembered the humidity had always been rough as a mortal, but I never truly understood how bad wolves and other creatures had it.

If I hadn't already given half my soul to Clavicus, I think I would have given the rest of it for opposable thumbs and a dagger to rid myself of the wet, snarly, insanely hot mess.

My tongue was stretched out as far as I could get it as I plodded along the road, my once clean coat now a mass of sticks, leaves, mud, and a bucketful of cockleburs. The cooling storm had lasted all of the morning hours, but finally admitted grumbling defeat to the midday sun. The resulting humidity had me wondering if Clavicus had lied and simply sent me to another version of hell.

I let out a huff of annoyance as I lowered my head again, following the stale, sickly sweet scent that I now knew as Umbra. The woman's scent was entwined with it, a mixture of leather and roses that reminded me of my mother. The resulting aroma was enough to make my head ache. The only saving grace to my situation was that I never felt the need for food or water. I guess there were some benefits to serving a creature with the personality of a murderous six-year old without a nap.

Dusk was falling by the time I found the Inn, and it wasn't a moment too soon. The pads on my feet were raw, and I was tired of Clavicus peering through my eyes every other mile to see if I was any closer to his prey. I tried shutting him out a few times, but he always managed to kick my mental door down.

It seemed the woman I was following wasn't worried about anyone following her, something that astounded me. Who would be this relaxed after stealing from a Daedric Prince? They weren't exactly known for their charity work. Just look at what Mehrunes Dagon did to the nunnery in Kvatch.

I stopped in front of the door, vehemently cursing Vile's lack of foresight. Large dogs were not exactly allowed in an inn, much less able to open the door. I bared my teeth in anger, the hair rising along my spine the more agitated I grew. Gods, I hated not having any voice for expressing my moods. One day I was going to explode from caged emotions. At least I would make a nice throw rug.  
_  
"Well, what are you waiting for? The sword is just inside!" _The mental image I had accompanying this had Clavicus perched on the edge of his throne, literally bouncing on the balls of his feet in excitement. I couldn't resist letting out a sharp snort as the image slowly faded.  
_  
"Scratch at the door or something. Or bark." _He chuckled meanly, knowing full well how deeply that dart went. _"Oh wait, you can't. Looks like you'll have to scratch," _I winced at the cheap shot, allowing my irritation to filter back to Vile through our telepathic link. The Daedric Prince settle his consciousness somewhere in my head to watch the upcoming show through my eyes.

Cheap demon. I should have made him come after the sword, consequences be damned.

I began scratching at the door, clamping my jaws on the doorknob in an attempt to drag it open by force. My efforts were rewarded as it slowly slid open, the old wood scraping hard against the cracked cobblestones. I managed to squeeze my heavy body through the crack, eyes scanning the dim interior. Fortunately the Nord (his scent positively screamed of firewhiskey and mead) had stepped outside for a few moments.

I followed the scent in hurried circles, trying to track down my quarry before the bartender came back. I peered around the bar, my nonexistent eyebrows rising. Apparently our friendly Nord liked to feel the breeze because his pants were jammed on a shelf below the bar top.

My type of guy. He'll be so drunk by the ninth bell that I could urinate on his leg and he'd continue snoring like a cave troll.

I finally spotted a trap door and somehow managed to pull it open. The task was already difficult, but it became nearly impossible if you add an impatient child bouncing around in your head yelling at you to go _faster. _Maybe guarding the cave wasn't such a bad job after all. At least I didn't have the jolly green midget running circles around my subconscious.  
I peered down at the ladder, calculating the drop I was going to have to make to the hard stone below. I wasn't too worried about getting down, but getting back out was going to be another story entirely. Deciding that I had a good chance of breaking my neck, I poised myself to jump, my furry rump poking high into the air as I prepared to leap.

I let my coiled body go, the world turning into a blur until my front paws slammed down against the stone and I let myself go limp to prevent breaking my legs or neck. I was worried that someone down here would hear me, but it seemed soft flesh didn't make loud sounds against stone.

It wasn't until I regained my feet and my ears stopped ringing that I heard a sound I had mistaken for birds cooing at one another. It was some sort of soft melody that calmed even Clavicus, and I slowly creeped down the short hallway, the guttering torches lending some sense of light. They were ill-made because the smoke hung thick near the floor and made breathing difficult.

The woman's scent became cloying and incredibly fresh, and I felt the evil that emanated from Umbra slap against my skin even from outside the small room. I prayed that her door wasn't locked and pushed against it with my shoulder, delighted that it swung open a few feet without too much noise. Even better, she wasn't even facing the door to see my wolfish form slide in like a furry shadow.

I skulked into the room, my silver eyes watching her back as she brushed her long yellow hair. Rumors said that she was the champion of the Arena, but seeing her in her shift made her seem innocent. The only thing that marred that idea was the dagger strapped around her calf. I slowly moved forward, eyeing Umbra and calculating just how fast I could snatch the weapon and clamber up the steps before she could catch me.

I slowly slithered towards Umbra's belt, my jaws opening to take the moldy leather strap. I was almost on my belly to prevent her from spying me from the corner of my eyes. I could literally taste the evil as I gently clamped my sharp teeth on the leather. I could feel Vile's joy bubbling in my head like some sort of insane water fountain from the Shivering Isles when I felt a heavy hand clamp down on my collar and twist until I couldn't breathe.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
_Ohhhhh, cliff hanger! I didn't want to stop, but I had to so I didn't rush the action and ruin a perfectly good chapter with mental fatique. The melody was inspired by Be Thou My Vision by Mary E. Byrn. A bit of a cookie since the Arena Champion is a devout worshipper of Akatosh. The best version is sung by Ginny Owens. It is simply beautiful._

Here are the lyrics:  


Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;  
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.  
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,  
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, Thou my true Word;  
I ever with Thee, Thou with me, Lord;  
Thou my great Father, I thy true son;  
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle-shield, sword for my fight,  
Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight.  
Thou my soul's shelter, Thou my high tower.  
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,  
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:  
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,  
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.High King of heaven, my victory won,  
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'ns Son!  
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,  
Still be my vision, O ruler of all. 


	4. Lights Out

**AN: **I tried to make this chapter longer than the others I have uploaded since I haven't updated in a long while. I am also presently surprised at the amount of people who have favorited this story, watching it, or both. This wouldn't be possible without you! Your comments, reviews, favs, all help me keep my inspiration going when my muse tries to run off without me.

I will speed things up in the next chapter, but I wanted to set the basis for the rest of the story arc. Rest assured, this will not turn into a Mary-Sue/PC relationship. Those things tend to bug me. Anyway, the guilds will pop up periodically.

Also kids, we discover that for the minor price of giving your soul to one of the Daedric Princes, you are rewarded with a rather luxurious protection plan... As long as you don't tick them off, of course.

And the song for this chapter is: Lights out by Breaking Benjamin  
_  
"After the lights go out on you  
After your worthless life is through  
I will remember how you scream  
I can't afford to care  
I can't afford to care..."_  
XXXXXXX

Panic makes you do incredibly stupid things, more so if you have four legs all trying to go in a different direction. You would think I would have learned my lesson when I panicked and turned to a Daedra for help. Maybe if I were my father's son, I would have done something heroic and come flying out of the inn with Umbra clenched in my jaws.

But, I am no hero, and I did exactly what any sensible person would have done in my situation. I went limp and tried to roll over onto my back, pointedly ignoring Vile's tantrum. I believe he shrieked something about having a spine with the strength of a jellyfish. To be honest, I didn't see how criticizing himself was going to help matters. Eventually he switched to a language I didn't understand and I was able to turn down his chatter into something resembling mental white-noise.

I felt an odd tingling in the tips of my toes, but fear, and whoever had my collar, prevented me from looking down. The sensation grew worse, as did the black dots forming in my field of vision. They were joined by bright white sparks that made me blink in an attempt to get rid of them. Something deep in my brain calmly stated that I was suffering from the lack of air, that same voice mentioning that in another minute or so I would be quite dead.

My seemingly dormant anger flared, more from indignation than anything else. Being Clavicus' door mat was one thing, but when everyone else wanted to stomp on me, it just riled my damaged ego. My rage focused on the offending band of leather and steel, now digging into the flesh of my neck, as the hair along my spine rose. A faint cooking smell caught my attention, as did the acrid scent of burning leather. I narrowed my eyes and concentrated harder, bringing my focus until it was an emotionally charged fireball.

I held it until I could barely see the room and my body went cold and numb, then I simply _let go._ The singing of leather suddenly turned into a scream and the sizzle of flesh against hot steel, and the air took on the pleasant scent of bacon cooking over an open fire. The pressure against my neck vanished and I did an awkward, twisting leap to the side as my lungs greedily sucked in air. I saw a faint trail of smoke following me and I allowed myself the dog version of a smile.

My captor happened to be a Dunmer clad in worn leather armor, his right hand held up in from of his wide red eyes. The woman who had stolen Umbra had taken a defensive stance, oblivious to her nearly transparent shift, her ebony dagger gleaming in the low candle light. My silver eyes flicked between the two, hackles raised in a silent growl.

I needn't have bothered. The pair seemed more occupied with the male's seared hand than me. My expression shifted to something that would have been called "shifty" if I were a man or mer. And they _still _weren't paying attention to Umbra. How dense could they be?

Impatiently, I darted forward, this time between the mer's legs as I snatched the weapon's crappy leather sheath, sailing over his prone form, mentally laughing when I felt the end of the sheath slam against his jaw. He had enough sense to grab for the sword and I almost was jerked in a complete circle when my momentum failed to drag his heavy body. I landed on all four feet like a cat, most of the hair on my body standing on end. I could have released the sword and gone for his throat, but I was more interested in the sword.

I tugged as hard as I could, easily twice as strong as the Dunmer. I yanked him off his feet twice, and he finally settled on digging his feet against the cracked stone floor. My neck ached from the vicious twists and tugs that I tried, doing my best to wrench it out of his hands, or at least the sheath.

A few minutes passed in this stalemate before I noted that the Arena champion hadn't buried her dagger in my thick skull. It was her quiet laughter that I heard when the Dunmer released the sword and let me scuttle backwards with my prize. I thought they had finally seen reason, backing my way out until my rear came into contact with the closed door.

The _locked_ and closed door.

I almost panicked, but I kept my teeth clamped on Umbra. I stared hard at the woman with my silver eyes, willing her to open the door. She simply walked over to the Dunmer, whose name seemed to be Sicraten, and inspected the wounds on his palm. Her face grew even more like stone and she glanced at me again. Her partner kept pestering her to tell him whose symbol was branded into his flesh.

"It makes sense now," she muttered, her blue eyes flicking between me, the sword, and the yammering Sicraten. "I was a fool to think Clavicus would let me get away with Umbra." Her expression was more pensive than regretful, and I pinned my ears when Sicraten began whining about having a Daedric Prince's mark permanently etched into his skin.

_Shouldn't have grabbed my collar, you s'wit, _I thought, not ashamed in the least about what I'd done.

"Still, the Grey Fox needs a powerful Daedric artifact, and I just happen to have one." That last bit almost made me drop the sword, and even managed to (briefly) silence her Dunmer partner. I took a closer look at the insignia on the dark-skinned elf and wanted to kick myself for my ignorance. Of course the Thieves' Guild would be involved. Everyone, including myself, thought they were something that the Captain obsessed about. There was always the possibility they existed, though one of my many boring conversations with Vile informed me otherwise. He even hinted that some of their present issues were due to theft.

I think I was beginning to see a pattern here.

Her light footsteps broke my train of thought and I crouched down even lower, my silent snarls filling the room with tension. She stopped three paces away, hands in a placating pose.

"But, you're not Barbas. He was rather chatty, and you haven't even so much as yelped." She tried to move closer, but I bristled and moved further away, slipping down the dank stone wall towards her bed. "I'm not sure who, or _what _you are though. You don't seem like a Dremora, yet you bear Clavicus' seal on your collar. You even seem to be under his protection."

_Lucky me, _I rolled my eyes, already irritated at stating the obvious. If this was the Arena champion, her mental processes left much to be desired. Maybe she had been hit on the helmet one too many times?

Her expression changed to something of surprise and I wondered if Vile had allowed me to communicate through telepathy. That would certainly make things a lot easier.

"I'm not as daft as you seem to think," She said, her voice tinged with embarrassment. I cocked an invisible eyebrow and tilted my head.

This had gotten… Interesting, to say the least.

"My name is Valaina,"

_And I should care, why? _I thought, my "voice" tinged with suppressed anger and impatience. _If I don't get this, and you, back to…. Him, I'm going to be a lot worse off than you will be._"Wait, you're _mortal?" _The girl's face adopted an incredulous expression.

_Was.  
_  
I didn't understand why I was chatting with her about my past as if we were two good friends talking over a pint of mead. Did I really miss normal interactions that badly?

"I'm taking that sword. Give it back."

_Give it back? You STOLE it in the first place, you stupid, yellow-haired, brain-dead excuse for a Breton! _My anger made me splutter a bit at the end, almost ruining the insult. _I'm not the one who made a deal and broke it. At least one of us has some sense of honor, and it's pathetic that they are not a warrior._Her eyebrows crumpled her forehead and she obviously resisted the urge to fight back. Eventually she let her agitation wash out in a deep exhalation, pointedly ignoring the fact that Sicraten's jaw had dropped when Valaina started talking to a _dog. _

"He's only using you, and I think we both know that."

_Regardless, I'm not giving it back. _I ran for her bed, darting underneath it with loud scratches of claw against stone. I backed until my rear was against the stone wall and I could see out the front and sides of the furniture. Now nobody was getting near me without losing fingers.

The only problem I had now was figuring out how I was going to get out.

XXXXXXXXX  
_All right kids, you know the drill. If you have any plot suggestions, character suggestions, or anything else I might even be remotely interested in, please let me know! I can't read your minds! Or maybe I can, but I think you'd find that to be rather rude of me XD_


	5. Animal In Me

**AN: **This is a rather lengthy chapter, and I do apologize. I probably should have chopped it in half, but decided against it. I resolved some issues my kind reviewers pointed out, and hopefully satisfied someone's question. I'd like to thank everyone for the reviews, and I hope this chapter expresses it. This was also a hard chapter to write, especially the "dream" sequence". I will say the result of the chapter will have some interesting effects when the Mage's Guild pops up in the next chapter, as well as some psych. conflicts as well. Let's just say just because you put a soul in something's body, everything will be hunky-dory.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
_Malcontents and troublemakers will always be with us. They exist to dissent.  
-Unknown  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

There are times that I somewhat cared for Clavicus, in a Stockholm Syndrome kind of way, and others when I would have happily shoved him into one of the many black holes that dot Oblivion. Today just happened to be one of those "black hole" days. After all, it's not often you find the servants of a Daedric Prince crouching under a rotting bed.

And I should have remembered that Vile had the reputation of taking his gifts at the most inopportune times. Of course, this would lead to me trying to shove my master into several black holes. Servants can only sweep the floor so much if their owner steals the broom and leaves them with a dust-pan.

The dead give-away should have been when our mentally challenged Arena champion stopped responding to the mental garbage I was lovingly tossing her way. I simply thought she was ignoring me, so I chattered louder while Umbra's vile scent worked its way up my nasal cavity.  
_  
"And what, exactly, is a skunk loving, purple Snuffleupagus?" _

I was startled enough that I accidentally slammed the top of my head against the boards supporting the mattress, having forgotten that Clavicus would be keeping a hawk's eye on the situation. I let out the loud wheeze that was my version of a yelp, eyes watering from the impact. I heard Valaina try to suppress her laughter, which only increased my embarrassment.

I didn't even bother to answer Vile, just let myself become more involved with my link to him, almost becoming one with his alien psyche. I was stubborn enough that I retained a small part of myself even when it seemed I was swimming in the lake that was his mind.

He could see through my eyes, and I through his. It is difficult to describe seeing not only from your eyes, but the eyes of someone else _at the same time_. Clavicus let out a giggle when he realized what I had under my paws, though it took a darker edge when he spotted Valaina. Judging from what he just gleaned from my mind, and her "crimes," the worst torture I could imagine would pale to what the Daedra would do to her for eternity.

"_Well, why didn't you knock sooner, little hound? Looks like you're coming home so I can play with my new toys,"  
_  
My head ached when Vile ripped himself loose with no regard to my mental stability. I was left reeling for the few precious seconds it took for the glowing blue portal to open to his plane. My legs wobbled as I clambered out from under the sagging bed, claws fighting to find purchase on the stone. I made a beeline for the portal, narrowing my eyes when I felt someone wrap their arms around my body in an attempt to halt my progress.

Which wasn't particularly bright. Anyone who has worked with large dogs knows that trying to stop an animal that weighs more than you do, and is three times as strong, with a bear hug, works about as well as trying swim with stones tied to your legs.

I was so anxious and frazzled that I didn't bother to try to see who was hanging on to me, just plowed through the portal with Umbra, and whoever was dumb enough to still be clinging to my fur. I welcomed the familiar sucking sensation, along with the intense pressure on my eardrums, sinuses, and joints. I felt like I was being spun in seven different directions, but the absolute absence of light made it hard to tell if my eyes were open or closed. My "passenger" still had my fur clenched in their fists, the intense cold creating ice crystals on my fur, the tips of my ears, and freezing the saliva that had oozed onto Umbra's sheath.

I tried to scream at whoever it was to let go, but the hands simply clenched tighter the harder we spun. I tried to claw at them with my rear feet, my blunt toenails catching against their clothing. My lungs were burning from holding my breath, and I wondered if Clavicus had thrown us all into the Void. I couldn't even see the small dots of light that came with oxygen deprivation.

Some innate sense told me that Clavicus' realm wasn't much further, but I could feel Umbra fighting every step of the way. It was like trying to walk into the wind with a large sheet in front of you.

The sensation of sniffing evergreen teased my nostrils, and I tried to take a breath before my mind caught up with my body. What air I had was sucked out, leaving my mouth working like a fish out of water. Fear made my sightless eyes water as the shards of my soul shuttered at the thought of floating through the Void for eternity.  
I fell into a dream as my oxygen deprived brain shut down, my body no longer able to feel whoever was hanging on to me. My connection to Vile was gone, his end absolute silence and static. I felt a sense of sadness over the separation, which bewildered my clouded mind. A sense of sleep wrapped its arms around me and dragged me ever deeper into what I thought was death.

At first, I was highly confused, but relaxed. I couldn't feel any looming danger, and it was an odd sensation. Living around Clavicus was like walking a tightrope, bleeding, over a pod of hungry Slaughterfish.

Bright sunlight made its way down through the treetops and green vine tendrils brushed against my shoulders. A quick glance down revealed that I was back on two feet, though strangely lacking shoes of any kind. My skin was a deep tan and my copper hair brushed against my mid-back. Surely I had died, but I wasn't sure why my soul wasn't with Vile. I heard flowing water, and my throat suddenly became parched.

The thick grass was soft against the soles of my feet and I marveled at how the thick blades felt between my toes. The air was heavy with humidity, but with such a low temperature that it was quite comfortable. The myriad sounds of birds and small mammals made me realize that I was in Valenwood. I finally found the stream and gratefully began scooping handfuls of crystal clear water. I eventually settled down on my haunches, the tension in my back slowly fading as I stopped expecting Clavicus to smash my fantasy into millions of pieces.

On a whim, I slowly stepped out into the cool stream, not caring if the cloth trousers I wore got wet. I had nearly waded so far out that the slow-moving water was at my waist when I thought I heard someone call my name. At first I thought I was hearing things, but I saw something move out of the tree-line to my right and I fought the temptation to sink into the water and hide.

The closer the human-shaped figure came, I began to detect the feminine characteristics of her voice and I felt my heart stop. As she drew closer, my eyes confirmed what my heart already knew, and I felt tears of joy pool along the bottom of my eyes as my entire chest constricted with joy.

My wife stood across the river, her expression one of pure happiness that she had found me. I forced my way through the water, the force of my passage slinging water droplets four or five feet into the warm air. Oddly, when I tried to answer her, or even let out a happy shriek of joy, I was strangely silent. However, the prospect of seeing my dead wife made me plow on until I had her wrapped in my arms. I openly let my tears soak her green robes as the scent of lavender and roses teased my senses. I hadn't seen her in so long that I felt if I let go, she would simply vanish like steam into the wind.

Her tiny hands pushed gently at my chest, the look on her face one of controlled fear. I arranged my features into a confused look, screaming on the inside because I couldn't speak a single word to my beloved mate. I slowly leaned back, my silver eyes focused on her heart-shaped face.

"Corrick, what have you done to yourself?" She asked, her small fingers paused on my forehead and tugged at something that was attached to my skull. I winced as I felt her finger brush right between my eyebrows and throat, something there burning with a low throb that slowly grew in intensity. I ignored it and tried to hold her tighter, but she pressed her index fingers to those same spots and _shoved._

The low throb exploded into a volcanic eruption centered between my eyes and lava flow in my throat, and I clapped both hands to my forehead, my mouth open in silent screams. I staggered back, my eyes weeping from pain now. She advanced, her finger pointing as if in accusation. "What have you done?"

I tripped and fell onto my rear, sharp rocks digging into the muscle, but it was nothing compared to the pain echoing around in my skull. Eventually I floundered back into the river far enough that I glimpsed the profile of my ghost-white face in the water. Everything that I was screamed _why _in all its silent fury. I didn't understand what it was that my wife found repulsive. Surely my deal with Clavicus didn't extend here?

Her face twisted into something angry, angry that something with the smut on my soul dared to set foot here. She reached into her robes and pulled out a silver backed mirror, her lips peeled back to reveal perfectly white teeth.

"What have you done?" She screeched, flipping the mirror over so I could see what had thrown a kink into an otherwise perfect existence. I wanted to scream even louder at what I saw.  
The burning on my forehead and throat was due to ugly black sigils that could only have belonged to Vile. My skin was still the deep tan it had always been, but two short horns protruded from my forehead, very much like my short tyrant. My eyes had once been dull silver, but now they blazed with a light that could only come from selling one's soul to a Daedra. I was a fool to think my soul had only been ripped apart, not corrupted.

She stepped closer and jammed her fingers against the marks, intensifying the pain until I saw black rapidly spreading over my vision. She screamed my name over and over, turning it into some twisted war cry. I wanted to tell her that I loved her anyway, but thanks to my own selfishness, I couldn't even do that.  
_  
"Corrick! Corrick! Corrick McBannon! I'm not finished with you yet!"  
_  
Someone's sharp fingers were digging into the exact spots that burned, and I rolled, one arm trying to slap the pain away. I just wanted to float in the numbing darkness, but it seemed someone had different plans for me. I tried to swat again, and my wrist was caught in a grip of unbreakable steel.

"_Easy there chap. I don't want to have to rip your arm off after all the hard work you've done for me, eh?"  
_  
I cracked one silver eye and instantly regretted it, the light bouncing around in my skull until it died somewhere in the depths of my mind. I smelled the all-too-familiar scent of burnt brimstone and cautiously opened my eyes again.

Clavicus was crouched in front of me, Umbra held horizontally across his lap. His right hand was stroking the pommel almost lovingly while his left held my arm with a grip a cave troll would have envied. Strangely, Barbas was absent.

Then it dawned on me. He was holding my _arm_, not a furry leg.

I tried to scrabble up, but Vile was having no part of it. He simply increased his grip until I relaxed, my calloused feet digging into the strange grass of the pasture we were in. _"This would be _so_ much simpler if you would stop panicking and allow me to explain," _Clavicus huffed with the air of a school yard bully trying to act civilized.

My free hand crept upwards, trembling fingers confirming the presence of small horns. Clavicus watched with an expression of mild amusement, his mean little black eyes devouring my rapidly souring mood. Through our link, he had watched my dream, or whatever it was, like some sort of perverted play.

He must have read my expression, because his grip sharpened and he spat "_It's not my fault that Umbra managed to trap you in the Void and you died." _I gaped at him, not believing him. If I were dead, there was no way I should be here. He only had two _pieces _of my soul, not all of it.

I shivered and felt gooseflesh rise all over my body as the implication set in. I would never see my wife again, or the strange paradise that I had enjoyed before Clavicus yanked me back.

"_Of course you won't," _he said, almost dancing with pleasure. "_You can't make a deal with me and expect to get out of it that easily. You still owe me, now double because I saved your hide from the Void." _Clavicus quirked his eyebrow s as he leaned closer, his rotten breath washing over my face. "_Unless you'd like to return?"  
_  
I felt hot tears roll down my face in both frustration and soul crushing sorrow. I made some sort of choking sound, the closest thing I had to a howl. I flinched when Vile reached forward with one clawed finger and wiped one away, his pink tongue licking the moisture away.  
_  
"Mmmmmm…" _The expression on his face was one I had seen patrons at a coffee shop make when the owner had created a heavenly brew. I found it disturbing and focused on the oddly happy sky, its clouds streaked with blue, purple, and pink with bright stars. "_For your sacrifice, I've allowed you the ability to shape-shift, much like Barbas. You may _not _be allowed to use telepathy to contact anyone besides me or Barbas."  
_  
I glared at him, simply thinking that I'd use my hands to write something down or scratch a message into the dirt. I realized my mistake when Clavicus laughed even harder, his hand returning to steal tears that hadn't dried yet. _"And you may not use any written form of communication. I've ensured that you will not remember how, or be able to learn how to write. Should you try, I'll just have to call our deal forfeit and devour the rest of your soul,"  
_  
I bared my teeth at him, realizing that since I was dead, I really didn't have much say in the matter. He could have told me to stand on my head for the rest of eternity, and I'd have no power to say no.  
_  
"Fortunately for you, I still require the second part of our deal." _I tilted my head in curiosity, thinking that Valaina had been the one clinging to me while we drifted in the darkness. _"It was her idiotic Dunmer companion. His soul's corruption was delicious, but I want _hers._"_

He allowed me to regain my feet, my hands brushing over the billowing silk pants I wore. A brief glance told me that I still wore the collar, except now it was wrapped around my wrist. A brown vest covered very little of my upper body and I glanced curiously at Clavicus, surprised that he allowed me my original Bosmer form. But his greatest surprise made me want to jump into a black hole.

"_My dear boy, you are no more a Bosmer than I am Akatosh! I simply forced what was left of your soul into one of my minion's bodies." _His laughter made his slightly pudgy belly shake, and I felt a strong urge to drive Umbra right through the middle of his face. I looked down again, realized that while I was still the height of a male Bosmer, my shadow revealed large pointed ears, a body much more muscular than I had been, and a…

Tail?  
_  
What did you turn me into? A scamp? _I mentally roared, my tail slapping against the back of my legs since I had no idea how to control the thing.  
Clavicus simply grinned like the child that had just smeared lipstick all over your favorite sweater. "_No, I turned you into something that _resembles_ me. After all, it's not every day that I find a mortal that will do _everything _I tell them to."  
_  
He straightened up, Umbra now pointing towards the sky on his shoulder, its black blade seeming to absorb all light."_You'd better eat up, because when Barbas returns, you're going back to Mundus to retrieve what is owed to me," _

I almost asked what he meant, then I saw the half-frozen body of the Dunmer. I tasted bile and I glanced back at Clavicus, unwilling to believe that I had to eat another mer's flesh just because I _looked _like one of his servants. "_Kid, you're not mortal anymore. You have the shell of a body, and that body needs to eat mortal flesh. I gave you the husk of one of my soldiers. You should take care of it or I'll drag you back from wherever your soul tries to go,"  
_  
He laughed like it was a good joke and meandered off, muttering black things to the sword he carried. Personally, I wanted him to trap himself in it so I could throw it somewhere into the Void. I looked at the body Vile left and felt my stomach rumble with hunger. I clenched my teeth, trying to ignore the canines that dug into the meat of my cheek. I looked up at the star-flecked sky and sighed.

This was going to top my list of the nastiest things I'd ever done. Then again, it's not every day that someone gets to cannibalize another mer.

Yum, yum.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
_And so ends chapter five. If you have made it this far, congratulations, and thank you for reading! Remember, reviews allow you to make your voice heard and influence the story. If you have ideas, suggestions, etc, please review so I can adjust my story and make it even better!_

Thank you for your time! 

_-Warwick_


End file.
